The legislation, known as the Healthy Homework Act (AB 2999), seeks to make homework less burdensome and more conducive to learning.
Schiavo, whose daughter Sofia Johnson is a sixth-grader, has personal insight into the issue. Johnson expressed her frustration to Fox 40, stating, "Homework is exhausting. It's overwhelming. It's depressing that my whole day- from when I wake up to when I go to bed- is nearly all taken up with schoolwork."
April 30, 2024
The proposed bill, as explained by Fox 40, would not completely eliminate homework. Instead, it would require local school boards and educational agencies to develop homework policies that take into account the impact on students' physical and mental health. These policies would be formulated with input from parents, teachers, and students.
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Schiavo believes that this legislation could significantly benefit students. She told Fox 40, "The times have changed and our homework policies don't always change with the times, so we need to make sure we are addressing issues that are effective and also don't harm kids."
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Schiavo also emphasized the potential mental health benefits of reducing the homework load for students. "If it's such a source of stress for kids, and we know taking stress off kids' plates will make a difference in their mental health, this is something that can practically impact kids' mental health overnight," she added.
The bill has already made progress, passing the assembly education committee unanimously without any opposition.